Covid: Who has to self-isolate and for how long?

Self-isolation is one of the key methods used to limit the spread of coronavirus.

It is used for people who have tested positive for the virus as well as those considered at risk of having been exposed to it.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is self-isolating after being alerted by the UK's NHS Covid-19 app.

You should self-isolate if:

Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it.

You should not go out for any reason - even to buy food, medicines or other essentials, or for exercise.

You should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to help out by getting what you need and leaving items outside your front door.

If you have Covid-19 symptoms, however mild, you should self-isolate for at least 10 days from when they started, and arrange to get tested.

If you have no symptoms, but have tested positive for the disease, you must also self-isolate for at least 10 days. This starts from the day you took the test. If you develop symptoms during this time, you must restart your 10-day isolation.

If you still have a temperature after 10 days, you should continue to self-isolate, but can go out again if, by then, you only have a cough or loss of taste or smell.

If someone you live with has coronavirus, all the other people in the household must also self-isolate, regardless of whether they have symptoms.

This means you must not leave the house for 10 days from the day they first became ill, or - if they have no symptoms - from the day they had a test.

If they then display symptoms, you must start a new 10-day isolation period from the day they first appear.

If you have symptoms or test positive, you need to try to keep apart from other members of your household.

You should stay in a well-ventilated room where you can open a window, but keep the door closed.

You should also use a separate bathroom. If this is not possible, then you should use the bathroom after everyone else and clean it thoroughly afterwards.

Meals should be eaten in your room and not in a shared area like the kitchen.

If someone in a school tests positive, they must be sent home to self-isolate for 10 days.

The school will then contact their local public health protection team, who will advise on who else should be sent home.

Anyone who has been in close contact with the person testing positive, will be advised to self-isolate for 10 days from their last date of contact.

Anyone in England who does not self-isolate after a positive test could be fined up to £10,000.

In Scotland, you can be currently be fined £480 for breaking the rules. iIn Wales the fine starts at £60 and doubles for each further offence, and in Northern Ireland fines can be up to £1,000.